ATLANTA—Obtaining prior authorization to ensure services or prescription drugs are covered by a patient’s health plan consumes staff time, and delays or denials may cause patients to abandon treatment, according to speakers at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting. In a session on Nov. 10, the experts shared tips to smooth the process. Train Staff on…
ATLANTA—With growing demand for access to rheumatologists in rural areas, a shortage in the number of rheumatologists and the ability to use technology as a bridge to patients in remote areas, telemedicine seems like a smart option. And it certainly can be, experts said at a 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting session in November. But a…
Volunteering is a great way to give back and can be truly meaningful. Myriad worthwhile causes exist, so it can be hard to choose among them, but donating time to ACR and ARP committees helps promote rheumatology practice and brings awareness to rheumatic diseases. The College relies on volunteers to help achieve strategic priorities, promote…
As a new year begins, Government Affairs Committee chair Blair Solow, MD, takes stock of ACR advocacy wins in 2019 and issues to watch in 2020.
According to a survey commissioned by CompHealth, doctors work longer than the average American, intending to retire at age 68.1 Eventually, most physicians do decide to pull the plug on their careers. Questions about when to retire and what happens next are important to answer. “The primary question to ask yourself is, ‘Do I still…
A 43-year-old woman is establishing care in your new urban clinic after her previous rheumatologist stopped accepting her Medicaid insurance more than a year ago. Since that time, she has been trying to find a new rheumatologist who will accept Medicaid. She lives 90 miles away in a small town without a rheumatologist. Seven years…
People with or at risk for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) may be assigned to four depression subtypes with distinct clusters of depressive symptoms that may affect pain and disability over time, according to a new study in Arthritis Care & Research.1 Four depression subtypes were identified in the study using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies…
How laboratories define a serological hallmark of systemic lupus erythematous and which assays they use to detect it could contribute to misclassification of patients identified as anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) negative, according to researchers. Most people who have lupus test positive for ANAs as part of an immunology screening for autoimmune disorders. The presence of ANAs…
The cards sat, untouched, in a corner of my desk. In the 1800s, it was common for American saloons to provide patrons with a free meal. Of course, the meal came with a catch: The meals were predictably salt laden and designed to encourage patrons to drink more beer. Hence was born the expression, “There…
Rep. Raul Ruiz co-introduced the Safe Step Act in April and has helped educate members of Congress about how step therapy hurts patient outcomes and care.